The ibStop Bloody Energy initiative, promoted by Ukrainian energy companies DTEK Group, NJSC Naftogaz Ukraine band NPC Ukrenergo, released a video calling on Western companies to stop cooperating with Russia in the sector of fuels and energy.
The initiative seeks to “unmask” the gas, coal, oil services and engineering companies that help finance and benefit from Russia's war.
“Every dollar paid for Russian energy is a dollar that supports a murderous war. You can no longer sit on the fence to do or not do business with Russian energy companies. And we have a clear message for those who haven't noticed: what their margins cover today is a specific number of Ukrainian children killed, homes destroyed, cities decimated, and millions of lives lost or torn apart by war,” says Stop Bloody Energy on its website.
“DTEK Group, NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine and NPC Ukrenergo called on Western companies to stop cooperating with Russia in the fuel and energy sector. We represent the leading Ukrainian energy companies that come together to build a platform of experts to fight on the energy front,” he adds.
The video highlights that, for the time being, only Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia stopped buying gas from Russia.
The director of the Latvian natural gas storage operator reported on Saturday that the Baltic countries no longer import Russian natural gas. “Since April 1, Russian natural gas is no longer flowing into Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania,” said Uldis Bariss, chief executive of Conexus Baltic Grid on radio.
“If there were still doubts as to whether there could be confidence in supplies from Russia, current events clearly show us that there is no longer any trust,” he added.
Bariss also said that the Baltic market was currently supplied by gas reserves stored underground in Latvia.
The move comes at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to harness his country's energy power. Faced with the paralysis of the Russian economy due to international sanctions, Putin warned member countries of the European Union (EU) that they would have to open ruble accounts to pay for Russian gas.
While the United States banned imports of Russian oil and gas, the European bloc — which received about 40% of its gas supplies from Russia in 2021 — has maintained deliveries from Moscow.
The president of Lithuania, Gypsies Nauseda, asked the rest of the EU to follow the example of the Baltic countries.
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